First Look: "BIONICLE™: MATORAN ADVENTURES"Posted by Mark on October 24, 2002 at 09:36 AM CST:
If you have seen the box (it's up there ^) and the "TAHU NUVA Emerging" images, then you have seen everything there is to see in terms of printed graphics. Unlike the previous Game Boy Advance BIONICLE™ game, "MATORAN ADVENTURES" does not include any unique images in its manual. What images there are come directly from the game and are printed only in black-and-white.

All of the main characters are familiar ones. You begin the game as KONGU and unlock HUKI, JALA, MATORO, MAKU, and ONEPU as play progresses. Each of the MATORAN have identical abilities in the game.

But the MATORAN can't do it alone. They need the TURAGA, along with their special knowledge and abilities, to help them: MATAU, ONEWA, VAKAMA, NUJU, NOKAMA, and WHENUA. When a MATORAN runs past a TURAGA, the TURAGA "attaches" to the MATORAN and becomes a "trailing companion". You can switch between the trailing character and main character and then use the TURAGA's elemental power when needed.

Together they face the BOHROK, referred to in the manual as Makuta's "minions", and the RAHI. New (at least in name) to the legend are the three "bosses" encountered between specific Wahi. I have not made it that far in the game yet, so I can't say exactly what they are at this time, but they are referred to as "the ultimate tests of your skill and bravery" and "their defeat is the key to saving Mata Nui."

A welcome addition to any game, there are three difficulty levels to choose from: Easy, Medium, and Hard. You can also change levels for sound effects and music. So far, I have found the music quite pleasant.

Always on screen are meters indicating health, lives, and elemental power. You can collect power-ups for all three as you wander about Mata Nui. In addition to finding the TURAGA, you need to collect mask pieces to unlock the additional MATORAN. Mystical Priest Stones in Po-Wahi, an ancient song in Ta-Wahi, a Koli Statue in Po-Wahi, and Key Stones which open the water portals of Ga-Koro are all lost and need to be found.

You won't have to get very far in the game to find something to gripe about. Immediately upon starting the game, there is KONGU wearing a HAU instead of a MIRU. And is that a RAU on MATAU? Yes, it is. In fact, if you look closely at the screen caps here, it looks as though all of the MATORAN wear the HAU and all of the TURAGA wear the RAU.